STORAGE: old HDD (I can't afford a bigger SSD but I can move the HDD to some other LAN PC)

RAM: any 8Gb dual channel low profile (corsair xms3 cl9?)

CPU: Intel i3 or i5

motherboard: Asrock B85M Pro4

no discrete GPU (Intel 4600 should do and I can upgrade later)

Now I don't know what CPU/cooler/PSU pick... Probably any i3 would do but I guess I can throw in 50€ more for a more all-round future-proof CPU like an i5 4440s or 4460 (same price, different TDP). I'm a tootal noob regarding CPU coolers but I guess I should trash the stock Intel cooler and get a decent replacement (scythe big shuriken or something in that price range). Same goes for the PSU... I don't even know how much power is needed but I was considering an L8-350 from BeQuiet or a Seasonig G-360.

It really depends on the load and if you would take advantage of multicore or even multi thread, a Pentium G3240 is pretty decent CPU. At the office 5 pc with the G3220 and all working pretty well under normal windows/office work loads. But the i3 seems like a good option to get igpu HD4600.

Im not a big fan on Coolermaster, if you can consider an Antec Solo II imo would be a better pick specially since you are going with a mechanical hdd and mount it on the suspension mechanism. Very solid build quality, even better than my R4.

IMO, with an IGP-only rig, you don't need any damped case, and a more cool enclosure may serve you well.

branduardo wrote:

SSD: crucial m500 40Gb or crucial mx100 256Gb (same price)

Check running temperature for the MX100 in some review, M550's one were not that great.

branduardo wrote:

STORAGE: old HDD (I can't afford a bigger SSD but I can move the HDD to some other LAN PC)

Please take into account that a 1Tb WD Green costs just 50 euros and no "old HDD" can be as quiet as it is.

branduardo wrote:

RAM: any 8Gb dual channel low profile (corsair xms3 cl9?)

They are standard profile, not low profile: look into Crucial line-ups.

branduardo wrote:

CPU: Intel i3 or i5

Does Linux use QuickSync? Whether it doesn't, a Pentium (maybe an Anniversary Edition) or a Core i5 may be the alternative (IMO).

branduardo wrote:

motherboard: Asrock B85M Pro4

Very good mobo, silence-wise, among the cheap ones, even if I'd rather the H87 chipset for the better fake RAID controller (IIRC). But if you are not in a hurry, you may look into some 97-series mobo from ASUS/ASRock.

branduardo wrote:

Plase help me choose the right CPU/cooler/PSU combo!

Scythe Kotetsu (it fits perfectly inside the proposed Silencio, we've already verified so, it should cost less and cool more than a Big Shuriken 2) and a BeQuiet E9 over the G360 (the L8 would be noisier than the Seasonic). Another option is the Silverstone SST-ST30SF (300W, Bronze), less efficient but quite quiet. Eventually Corsair CS-series and Cooler Master V-S series might offer you some interesting options, but your mileage may vary. If you should pick up a dual core even a PicoPSU-style unit could be a viable, cheaper, higher efficiency and silent alternative (while, over 120W, a quality brick could be as expensive as an ATX unit).

P.S.: as the stock CM Silencio fans (and usually most of stock case fans) are a tad far from being quiet, you should take into account in your budget for some really quiet case fans: which ones depends of specific mobo and case.

@jmf11, I had already read your post and found lots of useful information

@Abula, I need to compromise:CPU: I'm skipping anything below an i3 because of the IGP and I'm not planning to upgrade soonCPU-cooler: both Kotetsu and Mugen 4 are 10€ pricier than a Big Shuriken 2 (33€) here, are they worth it?PSU: G-360 is 63€ and BeQuiet E9 400 is 70€ while a BeQuiet L8-350 is 48€... still doable if woth itCASE: Antec solo II is definitely out of budget (3x the price of a Silencio 352!)

@quest_for_silence, a load of infoCASE: what would you suggest as a cool enclosure near the price range of the CM 352?SSD: mx100 SSDs shuld work up to 70°C, so it should be okCPU: quicksync is not implemented on linux and I had never heard of Anniversary Edition Before. I guess it's safer - linux compatibility wise - to pick an i3 or i5PSU: Silverstone SST-ST30SF and Corsair CS are in the same price range of the Seasonic G-360, slightly cheaper than the E9. Which would you choose?CASE FANS: good to know... more things to research!

@CA_Steve, thanks for the math

Now... the S-version dilemma: i5 4460 and 4440s are the same price. I guess the power consumption and noise are similar when idle. Any reason to pick the S-version over the standard one? Should I spare 50€ and go for an i3 4330?

CPU-cooler: both Kotetsu and Mugen 4 are 10€ pricier than a Big Shuriken 2 (33€) here, are they worth it?

The Big Shuriken 2 comes with a slim voltage controlled Slipstream fan. It's a great cooler for height restricted cases - especially if you have the space to replace the 12mm thick fan with a 25mm one...and there goes the 10 euro difference....

CASE: what would you suggest as a cool enclosure near the price range of the CM 352?

You should point out where you will buy those parts, so that we can be aware of relevant prices.

Just as an example: you say that the Big Shuriken 2 costs less than a Kotetsu. In Italy (where I live), Germany (where I often buy) and U.S.A. (where I sometimes buy) usually it isn't so, as there's often a slight price premium of the Big Shuriken 2 over the Kotetsu. So, to try to advice you, we should know your current prices.

Anyway, at first glance I would look either to a Fractal Design Core 3000 or to a Bitfenix Prodigy-M. For some money less, perhaps you may look at the Antec One, Corsair 230T and NZXT Source 210. For some more money, you may take into account the Fractal Design Arc R2 Mini. All the quoted enclosures, except perhaps the Fractals, surely deserve a fan swap, as well as the Silencio.

branduardo wrote:

SSD: mx100 SSDs shuld work up to 70°C, so it should be ok

An high running temp will heat up your enclosure, and it's not advisable, noise-wise and reliability-wise. Look for temps and go for the M500 whether they were significantly cooler.

branduardo wrote:

PSU: Silverstone SST-ST30SF and Corsair CS are in the same price range of the Seasonic G-360, slightly cheaper than the E9. Which would you choose?

For a Core i3 I would pick the Silverstone unit, for a Core i5 probably the Bequiet E9.

branduardo wrote:

Now... the S-version dilemma: i5 4460 and 4440s are the same price. I guess the power consumption and noise are similar when idle. Any reason to pick the S-version over the standard one? Should I spare 50€ and go for an i3 4330?

There's no compelling reason to pick a S-SKU, unless they cost less, IMO. With the right motherboard you can always achieve similar thermals with any regular SKU, just adding a small negative vcore offset inside the BIOS, while retaining a bit more speed (yes, I'm talking about undervolting a regular CPU).

The Core i3 may be preferable (money-wise) whether your coding/video-editing apps don't use more than two cores (as often HT just sucks). Whether you should go for a big tower CPU heatsink, you might take into consideration a low end videocard along with a Pentium G3258 (the so-called Anniversary Edition).

CPU: I'm skipping anything below an i3 because of the IGP and I'm not planning to upgrade soon

This is something that you need to value, personally for me... HD4600 is no worth, i would prefer if intel were to take it off and give me $10 back on a no iGPU version, but since there are none in this gen, i just gotta live with something i dont use. Now if you know it will benefit you, then go for it, i was worried in terms of being a value oriented build and saving, again depending on your needs you will have to decide whats worth or not.

branduardo wrote:

CPU-cooler: both Kotetsu and Mugen 4 are 10€ pricier than a Big Shuriken 2 (33€) here, are they worth it?

To me these are the best coolers value/performance/noise atm in the market. Weather you need them, probably not, all you need is the included heatsink, but regarding noise, a better cooler will allow you spin down the fans even more since its more efficient in dissipating heat, weather its worth.... its up to you, to me it is, but for me this is a hobby and i just waste money.....

branduardo wrote:

PSU: G-360 is 63€ and BeQuiet E9 400 is 70€ while a BeQuiet L8-350 is 48€... still doable if woth it

I would go with either G360 or the E9 400, i read in others on the forums the L8 inst as quiet as the others, but i have no direct experience, either way your build shouldn't draw above 100W, so the PSU will be chilling most of the time.

branduardo wrote:

CASE: Antec solo II is definitely out of budget (3x the price of a Silencio 352!)

i see your point, cases in my experience help, but they are not what makes a build quiet or not, its the components you chose, so chose carefully and you could even be with a open case.

Some more info first: I'm from Italy and I buy parts on the usual online sellers here (amazon, e-key). I'm not much of a modder/tweaker so I wouldn't bother with undervolting or fine-tuning on the motherboard. I'm looking for an assemble-and-go solution. I guess I can swap fans if it's really worth it.

@CA_Steve, if going with a CM 352 case there is non need for a low profile cooler. I just picked the Big Shuriken because it seemd decent and well priced.

@quest_for_silenceCM 352 (53€) alternatives: Fractal Design Core 3000 and Bitfenix Prodigy-M and Fractal Design Arc R2 Mini are 30€ more while Antec One, Corsair 230T and NZXT Source 210 are 10€ more. Most of these are bigger (not needed) lack the SD card reader. I know little about cases but what are the advantages? Better ariflow? Easy mounting?SSD temperature: I googled around but couldn't find any relevant info about normal operating temperatures. 70°C is the max temp before throttling down.

@Abula, discrete graphics is not an option; I'm a linux user and Intel IGP is the hassle-free future-proof way to go, especially if you're not a gamer

I'm all but an expert on this topic, but I would say that in my build (as it is fresh in my mind), the nosiest components are:

1) the WD green 2 To (if not in standby),2) the DVD burner (not sure; and I think that you don't consider one),3) the PSU (rebadged G360 - faint noise when have the hear against the PSU => not a real life situation)4) New silent Chassis fan and CPU fan (when turning up to 800 rpm)

The Silencio 352 stock chassis fans are noiser than my 6€ Artic cooling F12, and would be around the DVD burner /HDD level.

So from what I experience, the CPU fan should not be the top issue in your build, event if your CPU has an higher TDP than mine...

Ok, but there are lots of other resellers, aren't there? Particularly e-key has no key advantage on any competitor.

branduardo wrote:

I guess I can swap fans if it's really worth it.

You do need to swap the case fans, if you aim to quietness.

branduardo wrote:

Antec One, Corsair 230T and NZXT Source 210 are 10€ more.

Set asid IMO 10 euros more IS about the same price, but your statement is not exact, as at eKey they cost the same or less than a Silencio 352. If you're tight to buy Amazon, pick what you can afford and don't ask anymore; even better, broadly speaking, if you have to weigh each and every penny, do not deal with me, as I can't stand such a typically italian attitude: so far I have assumed that you wanted to achieve the goal of a good level of noise along with good cooling. Among cheap enclosures the N200 from Cooler Master (it's basically a more open 352) may give you some thermal advantage over the Silencio, as well as the bigger Zalman Z9.

branduardo wrote:

Most of these are bigger (not needed) lack the SD card reader. I know little about cases but what are the advantages? Better ariflow? Easy mounting?

I already answered about, just some posts above: they may offer a cooler ambient than the Silencio. You required the upcoming build to be "as cool as possible": do what you rather.

branduardo wrote:

SSD temperature: I googled around but couldn't find any relevant info about normal operating temperatures. 70°C is the max temp before throttling down.

There are several user reports on Crucial official forum: people report running temps of 50-65°C, against the usual 35-40°C of the previous M500.

branduardo wrote:

Is a 4440s/nofanCR-80 combo a reasonable alternative?

Well, you need a better airflow to run a Core i5 fanless with a small (less than 400g) bunch of metal, and more probably that not the case fans noise would be higher than the (to say) a 600rpm Glidestream running on a Kotetsu. If you want a fanless cooler, you need something massive, like the bigger CR-95 (not so easy to source in Italy): eventually, it may be feasible even with the CR-80, but you likely won't get good temps.

Ok, but there are lots of other resellers, aren't there? Particularly e-key has no key advantage on any competitor.

Can you suggesting some reseller in particular? I don't buy really often but last time I checked they were the cheapest options with a broad catalog. I checked some price-comparison websites and yes, I could spare a few euros sourcing single parts from different resellers but then shipping fees would rise.

Set asid IMO 10 euros more IS about the same price, but your statement is not exact, as at eKey they cost the same or less than a Silencio 352. If you're tight to buy Amazon, pick what you can afford and don't ask anymore; even better, broadly speaking, if you have to weigh each and every penny, do not deal with me, as I can't stand such a typically italian attitude: so far I have assumed that you wanted to achieve the goal of a good level of noise along with good cooling.

There no need to be upset, I'm trying to choose some good parts with a buget costraint and I need to make - possibly well thought - compromises.Anyway I did my homework and I guess Antec One could be the right choice.

quest_for_silence wrote:

branduardo wrote:

SSD temperature: I googled around but couldn't find any relevant info about normal operating temperatures. 70°C is the max temp before throttling down.

There are several user reports on Crucial official forum: people report running temps of 50-65°C, against the usual 35-40°C of the previous M500.

Good to know because that was apparently a no-brainer (better specs, more Gigs and lower price for the mx100). And not easy to find! I'll search the forums.

Can you suggesting some reseller in particular? I don't buy really often but last time I checked they were the cheapest options with a broad catalog. I checked some price-comparison websites and yes, I could spare a few euros sourcing single parts from different resellers but then shipping fees would rise.

I can just point out some of the resellers I've bought from (bold) without problem, along with some trusty (by general consensus) others:

How's that?Total cost is around 550€. I plan to add an old HDD and a DVD-writer and maybe add some case fan later.

@quest_for_silence, I searched google and forum.crucial.com for MX100 tempereature reports but found nothing. Could you help me find that?

The Antec One is a solid choice with below-average fans (I mean, for a very quiet result): I would order a couple of Scythe fans (I prefer the older Slipstream over the new Glidestream) for it, maybe a PWM version (and a splitter too). About cooling, broadly speaking in order to get lower temperatures (than the ones expected with the Silencio) with a more open enclosure, you may either need a larger volume (like the Antec), or a small volume but with more focused, effective airflow (it's the strategy of the Prodigy-M). You haven't quoted the HDD you will use: it might be important to know it.

About the Crucial SSD, there's a misunderstanding: talking about SSD high running temperature, I was referring to the bigger brother M550 (which use about the same hw of the mx100), but you're right there would seem to be some problems with Crucial search engine; very recently I have read that thread, http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State ... 234#M42576 , but now whether I search for it using Crucial board search, I was almost unable to find it out. So, summarizing, about mx100 vs m500, I'm not certain about any real thermal issue of the mx100, I can just suggest you to look for any possible thermal issue of the newer, faster SSD (as I did).

The Antec One is a solid choice with below-average fans (I mean, for a very quiet result): I would order a couple of Scythe fans (I prefer the older Slipstream over the new Glidestream) for it, maybe a PWM version (and a splitter too).

I'll add two Slipstream non-slim. Are PWM fans harder to operate? I'm on linux only so I can't use any windows tool.

quest_for_silence wrote:

About the Crucial SSD, there's a misunderstanding: talking about SSD high running temperature, I was referring to the bigger brother M550 (which use about the same hw of the mx100), but you're right there would seem to be some problems with Crucial search engine; very recently I have read that thread, http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State ... 234#M42576 , but now whether I search for it using Crucial board search, I was almost unable to find it out. So, summarizing, about mx100 vs m500, I'm not certain about any real thermal issue of the mx100, I can just suggest you to look for any possible thermal issue of the newer, faster SSD (as I did).

I did read that thread but the issue was for an mSATA SSD in a laptop and a different model. I'll reconsider the mx100.

I'll add two Slipstream non-slim. Are PWM fans harder to operate? I'm on linux only so I can't use any windows tool.

The main reason (IMHO) to go PWM is that voltage-regulated headers are enforced by high minimum speed (usually around 50%), while PWM ones are backed by a less than 20% minimum.

Besides, since you have just one heating source (the CPU), you may also think to synchronize all the fans with the CPU temp using a PWM splitter (even if the ASRock board should have more than 1 PWM header, check online the relevant manual).

The main reason (IMHO) to go PWM is that voltage-regulated headers are enforced by high minimum speed (usually around 50%), while PWM ones are backed by a less than 20% minimum.

Besides, since you have just one heating source (the CPU), you may also think to synchronize all the fans with the CPU temp using a PWM splitter (even if the ASRock board should have more than 1 PWM header, check online the relevant manual).

I've skimmed the manual and Asrock B85M Pro4 has one PWM fan header and two 3-pins chassis fan header. Going for a simple setup with non-PWM case fans and considering a minimum 50% speed regulation, should I pick 500rpm or 1200rpm Scythe Slipstream fans?

Going for a simple setup with non-PWM case fans and considering a minimum 50% speed regulation, should I pick 500rpm or 1200rpm Scythe Slipstream fans?

I can't help you: the Slipstream SL is almost useless, it's certainly quiet but it won't cool that much (i.e. it won't cool anything), even at max speed, when used as a case fan. But the Slipstream M at 50% would spin around 800-850rpm, a tad too much high: it won't be obtrusive, but it would be certainly audible.

On the other hand your system should be very cool, so noise-wise the almost-useless SL should be preferable (or at least, probably I would opt for it).Cooling-wise the right option is obviously the Slipstream M.

Given that alternative, definitely I would go for a PWM setup, but it's just my personal taste.

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